Cutting apparatus



y 1947. D. M. cuRT|s 2,424355 CUTTING APPARATUS FiledJuly 10', 1945 2 Shets-Sheet 1 DIM. CURTIS CUTTING APPARATUS Filed Ju1y 10, 1945 July 29, 1947.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wam,

Patented July 29, 1947 CUTTING APPARATUS Dale M- Curtis, Nitro, w. Va., assignor to Ameriican Viscose Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a

corporation of Delaware Application July 10, 1945, Serial No. 604,143

' 11 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for cutting continuous filamentary material into dis:- continuous lengths for the productin of staple fiber from rayon or other synthetic filamentary material. The invention is particularly concerned with that type of fiber-cutting apparatus in which the continuous material is fed to a rotating member having a radial channel through which the material is directed outwardly, generally under the influence of centrifugal force and from which the material protrudes until cut by a cutting member which co-operates with the periphery of the rotating member. form of the cutting apparatus is shown in ZBeria Patent No. 1,723,998.

Occasionally, the fibers protruding from the rotating member are not completely severed, either because of dullness of the knife or equivalent cutting membe'r, or because of improper co-action of the knife or filament cutting member with the rtating member. When this occurs, the fiber product will contain a certain proportion of overlength fibers which may be two or three times as long as the fiber length desired. In accordance with the present invention, overlength fibers are detected and such detection initiates the operation of means for interrupting the cutting and indicating the interruption. In this fashion, the operator is advised immediately of the improper functioning of the cutting apparatus. Another object of this invention'is to provide means for preventing loss of. tension in the material even after interruption of cutting. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the drawing and the description herein.

The drawing illustrates preferred embodiments of the invention, the electrical connections being somewhat schematically shown.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the invention, and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a modification.

The cutting apparatus as shown in Figure 1 comprises a rotating member 2 which may be termed a rotating disc or cutting head. The rotating member 2 is provided with a radial channel 3 which communicates with the axial feeding and guiding member 4 into which the filamentary material 5 may be fed downwardly by means of a delivery roll or godet 6 (or any equivalent feeding devicesuch as a thread-advancing device comprising a pairof canted rolls, a thread advancing reel, or the'like) about which the material 5 is lapped one or more times to provide a good grip. The delivery roll 6 is driven by a shaft 1 and conventional driving means, notshown. A

The general knife 8 is carried by a suitable bracket 9 fastened to a supporting frame l0, so that the protruding fiber clump 5a is cut each time the rotating member 2 carries it into contact with the knife 8.

The rotating member 2 may be supported in suit-' able bearings upon the support H and may be driven by pulley l2 therebeneath.

One or more (two being shown) detecting fin- ,gers l3 are positioned radially outwardly from is also secured to the rod It a mercury switch l6.

The pivotal assemblage of finger I3, rod I4 and switch l8 are so balanced that the finger H! extends downwardly and is positioned just outside the normal path of the protruding fibers 5a. Since the amount by which the fiber clump 5a extends outwardly from the rotating member 2 depends upon the arcuate distance of the clump from the cutting member 8 at any particular portion of the path, the first detector finger I3 which the fiber clump 5a approaches after leaving the position of the cutting member 8 is positioned a much shorter radial distance from the periphery of the member 2 than the subsequent detector finger or fingers 13. However, each one is positioned just outside'the normal path of the fiber clump, so that when the cutting apparatus is operating properly, there is no contact between the fiberclump 5a and the detector fingers It. The mercury switches 16 are normally open when the apparatus is functioning properly. However,- when overlength fibers occur in the clump 5a, such fibers strike the detector finger or fingers l3, and cause pivotal motion thereof about the axis of rod I4, thereby swinging the mercury switch and closing its contacts. A hooked guide I! is shown adjacent the path taken by the continuous filamentary material from the delivery roll 8 to the mouth 4 of the rotating member 2. A spring I I withinv the housing I9 has its outermost and secured to the shank of the guide I! and normally holds the guide II in the position shown. A solenoid 20 is arranged to cause'the guide ii to move transversely of the path of the material 5, thereby forcing it out of its normal path to the cutter and interrupting cutting. The solenoid 20 is operated whenever one of the switches I6 is closed. A signal light 2| and a sound alarm 22 may be connected in the circuit so that the closing of switches l6 or any one of them also sounds the alarm and turns on the light to call the operator's attention to the improper functioning of vided to indicate any decrease in tension of the material proceeding from the delivery roll 6 to the cutting head 2. This detector may take the form of a feeler normally pressing against the material 5 as it proceeds between roll 6 and cutter head 2 and mounted upon a shaft 26 pivotally supported within a bracket 21 and carrying a mercury switch 28 which is normally open in the position shown when the filamentary material 5 is feeding properly. When failure of the material 5 occurs because of breakage, or whenever a decrease in tension occurs for any reason, the detector system 25, 2'6 and 28 swings pivotally in the direction shown by the arrow, thereby closing the mercury switch 28, sounding the alarm 22 and lighting the light 2|. An auxiliary stationary guide 29 may be provided in the bracket 21 to reduce fluctuation and vibration in the material 5 as it passes between the roll 6 and the cutter head 2.

In Figure 2, the arrangement of Figure 1, is

modified by the provision of means for withdrawing the material from the vicinity of the cutter. This means may illustratively comprise a conduit 30 discharging into a container 3| (or to any other device for receiving the material either in heaped or wound form), and an injector 32 for inducing suction at the entrance 33 to the conduit. The mouth or entrance 33 is positioned so that when the material is deflected from its normal path to the cutter by hook II, it is presented to the entrance 33 and is sucked into it. A solenoid-controlled valve 34, normally held closed by a spring in conventional fashion, permits air or other high pressure fluid available in line 35 to enter the injector 32 by line 36.

Whenever the material breaks, suifers a loss in tension, or is deflected by hook I! in response to overlength fibers, the valve 34 opens and operates injector 32, thereby sucking the material into the conduit 30, discharging it from the scene of cutting operation, and maintaining tension in the material being fed around the roll 6 or equivalent thread-feeding or thread-advancing device. This is important when the filamentary material comprises an aggregate of individual bundles or filaments coming from a plurality of sources by converging routes, such as from the spinnerets of a spinning machine, since without the maintenance of tension after interruption of cutting, it is in this case necessary to lace up the entire machine anew.

While mercury switches l6 and 28 are disclosed, any other type of switch may be used. For example, the swinging of the detector systems may move a metallic contact into engagement with a stationary metallic contact in order to effect closing of the electrical control system.

The present invention provides for independent detection and signaling (1) of breakage or failure of tension in the filamentary material as it proceeds from the roll 6 to the cutter 2 and (2) of the improper functioning of the cutting member 8 resulting in overlength fibers. In the latter event, the detector system initiates operation of means for interrupting the cutting action, means for notifying operators and, in the a predetermined minimum tension in the material proceeding from the delivery roll.

It is to be understood that the description hereinabove is illustrative only, and that changes and variations may be made without'departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, means for cutting continuous filaments into discontinuous lengths, means for delivering the material to the cutting means, means for interrupting delivery of the material to the cutting means, and means operated upon interruption of such delivery for maintaining a predetermined minimum tension in the material proceeding from the delivery means.

2. In combination, means for cutting continuous filaments into discontinuous lengths, means for delivering the material to the cutting means, means for interrupting delivery of the material to the cutting means, detector means responsive to decrease in tension, to breakage, and to improper cutting for initiating operation of the delivery interrupting means, and means operated upon interruption of such delivery for maintaining a predetermined minimum tension in the material proceeding from the delivering means.

3. In apparatus for cutting continuous filamentary material to discontinuous lengths, cutting means, means for-delivering the material to the cutting means, means for interrupting delivcry of the material to the cutting means, means for maintaining a predetermined minimum tension in the material proceeding from the delivery means during periods of interrupted delivery to the cutting means and detector means responsive to improper functioning of the apparatus for initiating operation of the delivery interrupting means.

4. In combination with a device for cutting continuous filaments into discontinuous lengths comprising a, rotating member having a radial passage for discharging the filamentary material outwardly therefrom, a cutting member to which the rotating member presents the outwardly extending material to be cut, and means for delivering continuous filamentary material to the rotating member; means for interrupting cutting, and means positioned a predetermined distance radially from the rotating member for detecting filament ends of excessive length extending outwardly therefrom and for initiating operation of the interrupting means in response to such detection.

5. In combination with a device for cutting continuous filaments into discontinuous lengths comprising a rotating member having a radial passage for discharging the filamentary material outwardly therefrom, cutting member to which the rotating member presents the outwardly extending material to be cut, and means for delivering continuous filamentary material to the rotating member; means for interrupting delivery of the material to the rotating member, and means positioned a predetermined distance radially from the rotating member for detecting filament ends of excessive length extending outwardly therefrom and for initiating operation of the interrupting means in response to such detection.

6. In combination with a device for cutting continuous filaments into discontinuous lengths comprising a rotating member having a radial passage for discharging the filamentary material outwardly therefrom, a cutting member to which ,tending material to be cut, and means'for delivering continuous filamentary material to the passage in the rotating member; a movable element positioned along the path of the material on its way to the rotating member, means for moving the element across the path thereby deflecting the material therefrom, and means positioned a predetermined distance radially from the rotating member for detecting filament ends of excessive length extending outwardly therefrom and for initiating operation of the moving means.

7. In combination with a device for cutting continuous filaments into discontinuous lengths comprising a rotating member having a radial passage for discharging the filamentary material outwardly therefrom, a cutting member to which the rotating member presents the outwardly extending material to be cut, and means for delivering continuous filamentary material to the passage in the rotating member; a'movable element positioned along the path of the material on its way to the rotating member, means for moving the element across the path thereby deflecting the material therefrom and withdrawing'it from the passage in the cutting member, and means positioned a predetermined distance radially from the rotating member for detecting filament ends of excessive length extending outwardly therefrom and for initiating operation of the moving means.

8. In combination with a device for cutting continuous filaments into discontinuous lengths comprising a rotating member having a radial passage for discharging the filamentary material outwardly therefrom, a, cutting member to which the rotating member presents the outwardly extending material to be cut, and meansfor delivering continuous filamentary material to the rotating member; a moving element positioned along of excessive length extending outwardly therefrom and for initiating operation of the electrical moving means.

9. In combination with a device for cuttin continuous filaments into discontinuous lengths comprising a rotating member having a radial passage for discharging the filamentary material outwardly therefrom, a cutting member to which the rotating member presents the outwardly extending material to be cut, and means for delivering continuous filamentary material to the rotating member; a movable element positioned along the path of the material on its way to therotating member, electrical means for moving the element across the path, thereby deflecting the material therefrom and withdrawing it from the passage in the cutting member, and pivotally mounted switch means positioned a predetermined distance radially from the rotating memher for detecting filament ends of excessive length extending outwardly therefrom, said switch means being swingable to a closed position on receiving an impact from the filament ends of excessive length for initiating operation of the electrical moving means,

10. In' combination with a device for cutting continuous filaments into discontinuous lengths comprising a rotating member having a radial passage for discharging the filamentary material outwardly therefrom, a-cutting member to which the rotating member presents the outwardly extending material to be cut, and means for delivering continuous filamentary material to the rotating member; a moving element positioned along the path of the material on its way to the rotating member, electrical means for moving the element across the path thereby deflecting the material therefrom and withdrawing it from the passage in the cutting member, switch means positioned a predetermined distance radially from the rotating member for detecting filament ends of excessive length extending outwardly theretension of the material, and signal means operated upon closing of the switch.

11. In apparatus for cutting filamentary material to discontinuous lengths, cutting means,

material delivery means, means beyond the dey livery means for guiding the material discharged from the delivery means to the cutting means, means between the delivery means and the guiding means for withdrawing the filamentary ma- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Horton July 5, 1938 Number 

